


The importance of emotional honesty

by space_cadet5



Category: Portal (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, Portal Secret Santa, i put this off until the last minute whoops but here it is, this is gay
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-01
Updated: 2021-01-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 23:40:24
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 845
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28485507
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/space_cadet5/pseuds/space_cadet5
Summary: GlaDos is hiding something from Chell. Portal Secret Santa for Fisutiddies!
Relationships: Chell/GLaDOS
Comments: 2
Kudos: 24





	The importance of emotional honesty

Chell was in love, she was sure of it. Falling in love with someone who once tried to kill her, or someone who she has killed, is tough. When it does happen, however, it happens fast and powerfully. It makes testing a nightmare. How can she possibly pay attention to the poisonous puddles and various dangerous goos when every prickly comment over the loudspeakers made her weak in the knees? She had been fighting this feeling for months, dreading the day when she can no longer hide the mounting feelings that she had for the powerful AI that put her in danger on the daily.  
Something had been worrying her lately, however. GlaDos has been hiding from her. Chell wasn’t sure of it at first, because only small things were changing. The occasional late wake-up call, testing chambers without any comments, and when they did have conversations they were rushed and superficial. Chell was really starting to worry. It would really suck if GlaDos was planning to kill her, especially before she even got the chance to confess her feelings. She has to find a way to talk to GlaDos, or at least assess the situation. Luckily, she knew every path and corridor in the facility. GlaDos hadn’t even spoken to her all morning, so she probably had a perfect window to leave surveillance without being noticed.  
During her midday testing break, which GlaDos had only begun to give Chell a few months ago, Chell wriggled her way out in between two panels and into the network of halls that made up the greater facility. She rarely came down here, there was no reason to.  
After carefully weaving her way through the dimly lit corridors, she finally made her way to the large chamber that houses GlaDos’ chassis. The room was dark and cold, but Chell could hear the whirring of servos from another room. She crept across the chamber, staying close to the walls to avoid the chassis that is shrouded in darkness.  
Inside of the other room, Chell saw what appeared to just be… machinery. Mechanical arms connect metal joints and screw them into place, lights flicker and flash as something begins to take shape. It was some type of large, humanoid shape. Chell watches in shock as GlaDos’ core is slowly lowered onto the massive form in front of her.  
It comes to life, her core flickering to a steady light and the body beginning to move and flex. She turns slowly, testing the movements, and freezes when she spots Chell.  
“What are you doing here? You’re supposed to be…. Oh, I guess you are supposed to be taking a break from testing. You weren’t supposed to see this yet, it isn’t ready.”  
Chell just stands there, in awe.  
“I don’t suppose there is much of a point in hiding this any longer. It was supposed to be a surprise, but since you insist on ruining it I might as well tell you.” The android slowly lowers herself onto the ground, carefully moving as if every movement might break the joints. “I was going to make a big presentation about it too, but you ruined all the fun. It’s a mobile chassis. You have no idea the effort needed to create this, and I’ll spare you the lecture, but the point is that it’s a major feat of engineering. I know, it’s a gift. Why, you may be asking, would I go through all this trouble?” She pauses, as if actually thinking about a response, “.... You just seemed lonely, is all. I mean, most humans have hundreds of other humans to frolic around and communicate with. I crunched the numbers, your testing just wouldn’t be very good if I didn’t do something about the soul-crushing loneliness you had to deal with. That’s really all I cared about.”  
Chell raises an eyebrow, clearly doubting that this was the only reason why GlaDos would put all this effort into something that didn’t directly benefit testing specifically.  
“.....Ok, you got me. I think you must have some kind of curse or something, to be able to cut right to the chase there. The real reason I made this did have to do with loneliness, that’s true, but not so much yours as it is mine. Really, if I’m completely honest with myself… ugh, I should just come out and say it. Chell, I made this Aperture Science Mobile Chassis in order to be able to interact with you directly. I was thinking about it the other day, and, well, I have never actually had physical contact with you. I’ve never shook your hand, never actually given you something with my hands. Hands are one of the things that I usually envy about you, among other things. So honestly this chassis was for me. There, I said it, it’s for me.”  
Chell chuckles softly and reaches out towards GlaDos’ arm, touching it lightly. GlaDos recoils at the touch at first, but then leans into the touch, lifts up her hand, and Chell places hers inside it.


End file.
